RAIDER
SAILING FOUNDATION
The Need for Veteran Sailors
Combat veterans often find themselves, sometimes years beyond active duty, struggling to recapture the mysterious missing pieces of fulfillment and purpose so ubiquitous in a theater of war but often lacking in the civilian world. Common voids include connections with the peers they served with, challenging environments with problems that need rapid solutions, and contributing to close-knit teams that rely on each other. The sport of sailing is rife with opportunities for vets to reconnect with this version of themselves and their brethren – as weather, boat breakages, navigational issues, and crew dynamics provide reliable adversity and a healthy way to fill the voids left by the intense experiences of their youth.
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Separately, the sport of sailing faces decreasing participation, particularly from younger people with skills and personalities necessary to be valuable crew and leaders. The veteran community is a massive pool of potential sailors with the right skills and mindset to excel as a member of a crew and / or eventually captain in the sailing community.
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Raider Sailing was founded to provide combat veterans with adventurous trips where they will fill those common voids. Additionally, they will be introduced to the fundamentals of sailing and further integrated into the sport in order to have the opportunity to develop into lifelong members of the sailing community.
Operational Design
Groups of 4-6 combat veterans will be identified with a strong preference toward groups who served together or are connected in some way from their service. The group will be paired with an experienced, qualified captain who has extensive racing and offshore miles under the keel.
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The participants’ travel, meals, and expenses will be covered by the Foundation. The group and captain will meet each other onboard a vessel owned by the foundation or one chartered specifically for the trip.
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In-port training and boat familiarization will be conducted prior to getting underway for a 5–7 day sail. Underway, the group will experience all facets of being a crew. Captains will train the crew on fundamentals of sailing, safety, trimming, boat handling, watch standing, etc.
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Once the trip has ended, captains will identify participants who have an interest in continuing their sailing careers. The foundation will foster these careers through matching them with clubs and captains near their hometowns, with scholarships to ASA / U.S. Sailing courses made available.
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The Raider Sailing Foundation intends to foster close relationships with clubs around the United States and sailors across the globe who want to work with our combat veterans and simultaneously grow the sport.
Who We Are
The Foundation was created by Erik Thorleifson. Erik was an infantry officer with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment and led Marines in combat operations during the invasion of Iraq and operations in Fallujah, Iraq. Erik then attended Gonzaga Law School and practices law in in the Pacific Northwest. In parallel to his professional pursuits, Erik is an avid sailor and captain. In addition to Erik, the Board of Directors is led by two other USMC combat veterans who bring extensive business leadership and sailing experience to the oversight of the foundation. The Foundation currently has four volunteer captains as well as an extensive nationwide network of boat owners, captains, and crew in the sailing community to tap into as it grows. Erik, the Board, and our captains share a passion for sailing and the desire to foster growth and healing in our Nation’s combat veteran community.
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Funds received by the Raider Sailing Foundation will be used directly in pursuit of our mission. The leadership of the foundation is 100% volunteer and not paid.